Saun 35, Arc 702
“No, I won’t do that!” Victor Amielle, the second son of the Lord of Lysoria, proclaimed in a firm tone of voice, crossed his arms over his chest and looked his old, white-haired tutor Master Martinus defiantly in the eyes. “I get that I have to study etiquette and politics and such because I might have to represent my family at all kinds of events and father and Stefan can’t always be there. This here doesn’t serve a purpose though! What does meditation have to do with anything?”
“A lot, my lord”, Master Martinus who had just entered the library where their meetings usually took place a few bits earlier and announced what they would learn that trial replied. He looked thoroughly unimpressed. His voice had become even more unpleasant in the three arcs since he had started to teach Victor. It sounded as if someone were dragging their nails across a chalkboard. Sometimes, Victor wondered if he talked like that on purpose, but either way, he refused to let it have any effect on him anymore.
He was almost a grown man now!
“You said that you want to become a mage when you are old enough which is something that I will not discourage you from, my lord. Mages have always had a high status in Lysoria, and you seem to put some effort into your research of the various domains. There are certain precautions that you should take though, my lord”, Master Martinus spoke. In other parts of the world mages were discriminated against or even killed because of what they were; in Lysoria on the other hand, they had always been able to walk about openly and show their mutations, without having to fear anything.
“Exactly”, Victor who sat opposite the old man at the table in the center of the library replied, ignoring the last sentence. “I want to become a mage and not fall into a trance or stare into space. I don’t want my mind to become empty – I want to use it! I want to do things with it and not relax and nearly fall asleep!” he finished and crossed his arms over his chest, looking a bit smug. In his opinion, he had come up with a few convincing arguments. Master Martinus couldn’t possibly disapprove of his wanting to use his mind.
He was a teacher, after all!
“Meditation is about more than just entering a trance”, Master Martinus replied in an incredibly dry tone of voice. “Having so much power at your disposal and having your soul be affected in such a way can be terrifying. Meditation helps keep you focused under duress – and it can prevent overstepping as well”, he pointed out.
“Well, I don’t plan on overstepping”, Victor retorted.
“You can’t always decide to not overstep”, Master Martinus shot back in a sharp tone of voice that he would not have dared to use in front of one of the older members of House Amielle. A moment later, he let out a sigh and remarked, “I can’t change your mind, can I? We won’t meditate then – as long as you take a look at this book here”, he added, opened his leather book bag, removed a book from it and handed it to Victor.
The young noble furrowed his brow as a read the title, “Corruptions. Why is there a woman with a weird green growth on her face and an eye on her forehead on the cover?”
“I won’t tell you, my lord”, Master Martinus replied. “Just take a look. We will talk about the book tomorrow, and if you still don’t want to learn to meditate then, I’ll accept your decision, and I'll make sure that your father won’t have a problem with it either.”
Victor thought that he looked incredibly sly when he said that.
“Now then”, Master Martinus said a few moments later. “Since we apparently won’t meditate to-trial, would you mind telling me the names of the noble families of Ne’haer, who currently rules them and what they are known for? As a member of House Amielle and future leader, you should know who your political allies and enemies are, my lord.”
“No, I won’t do that!” Victor Amielle, the second son of the Lord of Lysoria, proclaimed in a firm tone of voice, crossed his arms over his chest and looked his old, white-haired tutor Master Martinus defiantly in the eyes. “I get that I have to study etiquette and politics and such because I might have to represent my family at all kinds of events and father and Stefan can’t always be there. This here doesn’t serve a purpose though! What does meditation have to do with anything?”
“A lot, my lord”, Master Martinus who had just entered the library where their meetings usually took place a few bits earlier and announced what they would learn that trial replied. He looked thoroughly unimpressed. His voice had become even more unpleasant in the three arcs since he had started to teach Victor. It sounded as if someone were dragging their nails across a chalkboard. Sometimes, Victor wondered if he talked like that on purpose, but either way, he refused to let it have any effect on him anymore.
He was almost a grown man now!
“You said that you want to become a mage when you are old enough which is something that I will not discourage you from, my lord. Mages have always had a high status in Lysoria, and you seem to put some effort into your research of the various domains. There are certain precautions that you should take though, my lord”, Master Martinus spoke. In other parts of the world mages were discriminated against or even killed because of what they were; in Lysoria on the other hand, they had always been able to walk about openly and show their mutations, without having to fear anything.
“Exactly”, Victor who sat opposite the old man at the table in the center of the library replied, ignoring the last sentence. “I want to become a mage and not fall into a trance or stare into space. I don’t want my mind to become empty – I want to use it! I want to do things with it and not relax and nearly fall asleep!” he finished and crossed his arms over his chest, looking a bit smug. In his opinion, he had come up with a few convincing arguments. Master Martinus couldn’t possibly disapprove of his wanting to use his mind.
He was a teacher, after all!
“Meditation is about more than just entering a trance”, Master Martinus replied in an incredibly dry tone of voice. “Having so much power at your disposal and having your soul be affected in such a way can be terrifying. Meditation helps keep you focused under duress – and it can prevent overstepping as well”, he pointed out.
“Well, I don’t plan on overstepping”, Victor retorted.
“You can’t always decide to not overstep”, Master Martinus shot back in a sharp tone of voice that he would not have dared to use in front of one of the older members of House Amielle. A moment later, he let out a sigh and remarked, “I can’t change your mind, can I? We won’t meditate then – as long as you take a look at this book here”, he added, opened his leather book bag, removed a book from it and handed it to Victor.
The young noble furrowed his brow as a read the title, “Corruptions. Why is there a woman with a weird green growth on her face and an eye on her forehead on the cover?”
“I won’t tell you, my lord”, Master Martinus replied. “Just take a look. We will talk about the book tomorrow, and if you still don’t want to learn to meditate then, I’ll accept your decision, and I'll make sure that your father won’t have a problem with it either.”
Victor thought that he looked incredibly sly when he said that.
“Now then”, Master Martinus said a few moments later. “Since we apparently won’t meditate to-trial, would you mind telling me the names of the noble families of Ne’haer, who currently rules them and what they are known for? As a member of House Amielle and future leader, you should know who your political allies and enemies are, my lord.”
